DUKE 

UNIVERSITY 


LIBRARY 


0NITEB  • STATES  • MILITARY  • ACADEMY. 


355"-  o'! 

W>5i9S 


WESr  P0INT. 

EST  POINT,  the  site  of  the  United  States  Military  Academy  and  an  im- 
portant fortress  during  the  revolutionary  war,  is  situated  in  Orange  County, 
New  York,  on  the  western  bank  of  the  Hudson  about  52  miles  from  New  York  City. 
The  Military  Academy  Buildings  and  grounds  are  on  a plain  about  one  mile  in 
circuit  and  containing  160  acres,  situated  above  the  river  about  175  feet.  The 
historical  importance  of  West  Point  is  too  well  known  to  be  here  noticed.  The 
first  provision  made  for  the  Military  Academy  was  in  1802,  and  the  State  of  New 
York  ceded  it^  jurisdiction  over  the  tract  of  land  in  1826. 

A more  healthy  situation  could  not  have  been  found,  and  in  point  of  beauty  it 
is  unsurpassed.  The  scenery'  for  miles  around  is  most  picturesque  and  at  this  point 
the  Hudson  caps  the  climax  with  its  beauty  and  grandeur.  “Crow  Nest”  and 
“Mount  Independence”  stand  as  mighty  and  silent  sentinels  watching  over  the 
busy’  workers  on  the  plain  below  them.  The  buildings  devoted  to  the  instruction 
and  recreation  of  the  Cadets  are  spacious  and  are  architectural  beauties.  The 
grounds  are  beautifully  laid  out  and  never  suffer  a want  of  attention.  The  Cadet 
Barracks,  Academic  Buildings,  Library,  Superintendent’s  Office,  Mess  Hall,  Hospital 
and  Riding  Hall  are  the  principal  buildings.  Battery  Knox,  the  Siege  and  Sea 
Coast  Batteries  command  the  river.  West  Point,  already  beautiful  by  nature,  and 
being  the  recipient  of  every  possible  artistic  improvement,  promises  a treat 
to  the  visitor  in  search  of  one  of  the  most  beautiful  places  on  the  earth,  and 
to  the  new  cadet  a most  pleasing  place  as  the  scene  of  his  future  troubles 
and  pleasures. 


PHYSICAL  REQUIREMENTS. 

No  married  man  can  be  admitted  as  a cadet,  and  should  a cadet  marry  before 
his  graduation,  such  marriage  is  considered  equivalent  to  his  resignation,  and  he 
must  leave  the  Institution  accordingly.  A Medical  Board,  composed  of  three  ex- 
perienced Medical  Officers,  assembles  at  West  Point  at  the  proper  times  and 
examines  carefully  and  thoroughly  into  the  physical  qualifications  of  the  candidates 
for  admission.  No  candidate  is  admitted  into  the  Military’  Academy’  unless  in  the 
opinion  of  this  Board,  he  possesses  the  requisite  physical  ability  to  serve  his  country 
in  the  arduous  and  laborious  station  of  a military’  officer,  not  only  at  the  time  of 
his  admission,  but  during  his  life,  and  until  age  shall  disable  him.  The  “Oath  of 
Office”  administered  to  him  requires  that  he  “ serve  in  the  army  of  the  U.  S.  for 
8 years  (4  years  after  graduation)  unless  sooner  discharged  by  competent  authority.” 
Resignations  are  always  accepted  and  a discharge  always  obtainable,  except  in  time 
of  War,  or  when  the  country  needs  the  services  of  every  officer  or  man  ; but  it 
costs  the  Government  $8000  to  graduate  a cadet,  and  the  people  have  a right  to 
expect  some  service  from  him  after  they  have  educated  him.  The  age  for  the  ad- 
mission of  cadets  to  the  Academy  is  between  seventeen  and  twenty-two  years  ; but 
any  person  who  served  honestly  and  faithfully  not  less  than  one  y’ear  as  an  officer 
or  enlisted  man  in  either  the  regular  or  volunteer  service,  in  the  late  war  for  the 
suppression  of  the  rebellion  is  eligible  for  appointment  up  to  the  age  of  twenty-four 
years.  Candidates  must  be  at  least  five  feet  in  height,  and  free  from  any  infectious 
or  immoral  disorder,  and  generally,  from  any  deformity,  disease,  or  infirmity,  which 
may  render  them  unfit  for  military  service. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2016 


https://archive.org/details/westpointmilitar01stod 


MODE  OF  ENTERING. 

Each  Congressional  District  and  Territory — also  the  District  of  Columbia — is 
entitled  to  have  one  Cadet  at  the  Academy.  Ten  are  also  annually  appointed  at 
large.  The  appointments  (excepting  those  at  large')  are  made  by  the  Secretary  of 
War  at  the  request  of  the  Representative  or  Delegate,  in  Congress,  from  the  Dis- 
trict, or  Territory  ; and  the  person  appointed  must  be  an  actual  resident  of  the 
District,  or  Territory  from  which  the  appointment  is  made.  The  appointments  at 
large  are  specially  conferred  by  the  President  of  the  United  States. 

Applications  can  at  any  time  be  made  by  letter  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  to 
have  the  name  of  the  applicant  placed  upon  the  register,  that  it  may  be  furnished 
to  the  proper  Representative,  or  Delegate,  when  a vacancy  occurs.  The  application 
must  exhibit  the  full  name,  exact  age,  and  permanent  abode  of  the  applicant,  with 
the  number  of  the  Congressional  District  in  which  his  residence  is  situated.  No 
person  who  has  served  in  any  capacity  in  the  military  or  naval  service  of  the  so- 
called  Confederate  States  can  be  appointed. 

When  practical,  appointments  are  made  one  year  in  advance  of  the  date  of 
admission. 

Candidates  are  ordered  to  report  in  person  to  the  Superintendent  of  the 
Academy,  between  the  ist  and  the  20th  of  June,  annually,  and  are  examined  im- 
mediately after  the  annual  examination  of  the  cadets,  and  at  no  other  time  except 
when  one  may  be  prevented  from  reporting  himself  by  sickness  or  some  other  un- 
avoidable cause.  In  this  case  he  may  be  examined  in  the  last  week  of  August. 
A candidate  failing  to  pass  the  preliminary  examination  in  June,  should  he  procure 
the  re-appointment,  can  have  another  trial  in  August.  Many  succeed  the  second 
time  who  fail  the  first.  The  candidate  should  arrive  at  West  Point  on  the  first  day 
allowed  him  for  reporting,  and  should  report  immediately  on  arriving.  He  should 
spend  no  time  at  the  hotel. 

The  training,  both  mental  and  physical,  is  remarkably  complete. 

It  is  accomplished  by  a steady  and  moderate,  but  never  ceasing  application. 


The  Superintendent  of  the  Academy,  appointed  by  the  President,  is  charged 
with  the  immediate  government  of  the  institution. 

The  Commandant  of  Cadets,  appointed  by  the  President,  is  charged  with  the 
duty  of  Instructor  in  the  Tactics  of  the  three  arms  of  the  service,  and  in  the  rules 
of  Military  Police,  Discipline  and  Administration. 

The  Corps  of  Cadets  is  under  his  immediate  command. 

Competent  officers  of  the  Army,  on  the  application  of  the  Superintendent,  are 
assigned  by  the  Secretary  of  War  to  duty  at  the  Military  Academy — one  as  Instructor 
of  Ordnance  and  Gunnery,  one  as  Instructor  of  Practical  Military  Engineering,  and 
such  others  as  may  be  necessary  in  the  Departments  of  Instruction,  or  required  to 
assist  the  Superintendent  in  the  discharge  of  his  duties. 

These,  together  with  the  Professors  of  the  Academy,  constitute  the  Academic 
Board.  Officers  of  the  Army  are  also  detailed  as  Adjutant,  Quartermaster  and 
Treasurer  of  the  Academy. 

The  Cadets  are  arranged  in  four  distinct  classes,  corresponding  with  the  four 
years  of  study.  The  Cadets  employed  on  the  first  year’s  course  constitute 
the  Fourth  Class  ; those  on  the  second  year’s  course  the  Third  Class  ; those 
on  the  third  year’s  course  the  Second  Class  ; and  those  on  the  fourth  year’s  course 
the  First  Class. 

The  academic  duties  and  exercises  commence  on  the  ist  of  September,  and 
continue  until  about  the  last  of  June.  Examinations  of  the  several  classes  are  held 
in  January  and  June,  and  at  the  former  such  of  the  new  cadets  as  are  found  pro- 
ficient in  studies  and  have  been  correct  in  conduct,  are  given  the  particular  standing 
in  their  class  to  which  their  merits  entitle  them.  After  either  examination,  cadets 
found  deficient  in  conduct  or  studies  are  discharged  from  the  Academy,  unless  for 
special  reasons  in  each  case,  the  Academic  Board  should  otherwise  recommend. 
Similar  examinations  are  held  every  January  and  June  during  the  four  years  com- 
prising the  course  of  studies. 

These  examinations  are  very  thorough,  and  require  from  the  cadet  a close, 


persevering  attention  to  study,  without  evasion  or  slighting  of  any  part  of  the  course, 
as  no  relaxations  of  any  kind  can  be  made  by  the  examiners. 


The  studies  pursued,  and  the  instruction  given,  come  under  the  following  heads  : 


ist. 

Discipline. 

2d. 

3d. 

4th. 

5th. 

6th. 

7th. 

8th. 

9th. 

ioth. 

nth. 

1 2th. 


Infantry,  Artillery,  and  Cavalry  Tactics ; and  Military  Police  and 

Use  of  the  Sword,  Bayonet,  &c. 

Mathematics. 

French  Language. 

Spanish  Language. 

Drawing. 

Chemical  Physics  ; Chemistry  ; Mineralogy,  and  Geology. 

Natural  and  Experimental  Philosophy. 

Ordnance  : Gunnery,  and  the  duties  of  a Military  Laboratory. 

Ethics  ; and  National,  International,  and  Military  Law. 

Practical  Military  Engineering;  Military  Signaling  and  Telegraphy. 
Military  and  Civil  Engineering,  and  the  Science  of  War. 


Four  years  are  devoted  to  the  course  of  instruction  and  suitable  parts  are 
assigned  to  each  year. 

The  classes  are  divided  into  Sections  suitable  for  instruction,  and  from  time  to 
time  cadets  are  transferred  from  a higher  to  a lower  section  or  vice  versa,  according 
to  their  abilities  and  proficiency.  The  instruction  in  each  branch  of  study  is  pro- 
portioned to  the  capacity  of  the  different  sections  ; — the  more  profound  and  difficult 
subjects  and  investigations  being  confined  to  the  higher  Sections.  At  the  end  of 
each  week,  the  result  of  the  week’s  progress  is  recorded  and  every  cadet  has  an 
opportunity  to  determine  his  relative  progress  and  merit. 


The  instruction  in  Infantry,  Artillery  and  Cavalry  Tactics,  and  in  the  use  of 
the  Sword,  together  with  various  optional  Military  Gymnastics  afford  a proper 
amount  of  physical  exercise.  During  the  months  of  July  and  August,  the  cadets  live 
in  camp,  engaged  only  in  military  duties  and  exercises,  and  receiving  practical 
military  instruction. 

The  following  is  a list  of  the  hours  for  daily  duties  : 

Reveille  at  5 o'clock,  A.M.,  during  the  months  of  May,  fune,  Tuly  and  August; 
at  5.30  o'clock,  A.M.,  during  the  months  of  April  and  September;  and  at  6 o’clock, 
A.M.,  during  the  remainder  of  the  year. 

Surgeon s-call  at  half-past  6 o’clock,  a.m. 

Peas-upon-a-trencher , the  signal  for  breakfast,  at  7 o’clock,  A.M. 

Troop,  at  half-past  seven  o’clock,  a.m.,  when  in  Barracks  ; at  8 o'clock,  a.m., 
when  in  Camp. 

Roast  Beef,  the  signal  for  dinner,  at  1 o’clock,  p.m. 

Retreat,  at  sunset. 

Call-to-quarters , for  study  in  Barracks,  at  30  minutes  after  return  from  supper, 
and  on  Sunday  in  addition  at  30  minutes  after  Inspection,  and  at  3 o’clock,  p.m. 
Supper  immediately  after  evening  parade,  except  that  at  no  time  shall  it  be  earlier 
than  half-past  5 o’clock,  p.m. 

Tattoo,  at  half-past  9 o’clock,  p.m. 

Taps,  the  signal  to  extinguish  lights,  at  10  o’clock,  p.m. 

Church-call,  half-past  10  o’clock,  A.M.,  on  Sundays. 

A very  strict  discipline  prevails,  which  is  rigidly  enforced. 


5 


8 


— 


FENCING  At  WUL' 


# : t,  ' 

■ i 

I 

% ^SFili 

A 

La  I 1 f f 1 

■ l 

■'nnjinwggrjilLV>iui 


T WEST  POINT  CEMETERY 


* 


28 


30 


« 


/ 


